New York City Department of Education
ANNING S. PRALL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL 27
The Magnet School for Applied Learning with Technology Integration
Academies of Engineering, Enterprise & Journalism
11 Clove Lake Place
Staten Island, New York 10310
Telephone: 718-981-8800 Fax: 718-815-4677
Tracey Kornish, Principal
June 2013
Dear Parents/Guardians and New Seventh Graders,
Congratulations! You will be entering the seventh grade in September. Summer is a time to relax and have fun with your friends as well as a good time to choose some interesting books and keep up with your reading. Remember students who read over the summer do better in school than students who don’t.
In order to reinforce our school wide goals for literacy, our school is requiring seventh grade students to read two books. We are requiring that all 7th graders read Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata.
We strongly encourage you to read this with a partner. Ideally this would be a parent or adult from your family. As you read keep a journal of your thoughts and answers to the focus questions from the attached sheet. Each entry should be 5 - 7 sentences long.
The second assignment is to complete a Folktale research project. Please follow the attached worksheets.
In addition, you are also encouraged to read any other books of your choice. Keep a list of the books you
read during the summer to receive credit for them in the fall.
In addition your parents/guardians must sign the slip below and you will be required to bring it to your English Language Arts teacher when you return to school in September.
· You will receive credit for all of your work in September. This assignment will be part of your first quarter report card grade.
· These books will be counted as part of your required 25 books for the year.
· Certificates will be given to all students who read 5 or more books.
Have a safe and happy summer and we’ll see you in September!
List the books you read this summer below. Be sure to have your parent/guardian sign this form.
I verify that my child ______has read the following books this summer
Parent/Guardian signature______
Keep a notebook for your work, or type entries and collate.
Questions for Weedflower, by Cynthia Kadohata
1. Who are the members of Sumiko’s family?
2. Why do you think she is so focused on the party?
3. What is Tak Tak worried about?
4. What happened at the party?
5. What event in history has happened? Why does the family now have fear?
6. What happens to Grandfather and Uncle?
7. How were the holidays different this year?
8. Why can’t the family move out of the area?
9. What is the government’s next order?
10. What does Sumiko take from Uncle’s room?
11. Describe the family’s new home.
12. Why do you think Sumiko buries her knife?
13. How is Arizona different from California?
14. How is the camp different from their last one?
15. Describe Sumiko’s new friend Sachi.
16. Why do you think the men were beating Yamada?
17. Why do you think the Indians dislike the Japanese?
18. What arrangement does Sumiko make with Mr. Moto?
19. What is Sumiko’s favorite thing? Why do you think that is?
20. Why doesn’t Sumiko want to leave the camp?
21. What does Frank have in common with Sumiko?
22. What happens in the gardening contest?
23. Why do YOU think the government put the Japanese in a camp?
24. Why do you think Sumiko goes with the others to steal a chicken?
25. What does Sumiko do when the boys attack Frank?
26. What does Sumiko promise Kenji? Why do you think this is important to him?
27. Why do you think Sumiko isn’t sorry for hitting Kenji?
28. How does the meeting between Joseph and Bull go?
29. What does the government require the Japanese to do next?
30. What issue is the family divided about?
31. What premonition does Sumiko have about her cousins?
32. Do you think Sumiko should stay in the camp or leave? Why?
33. What do you think happens to Sumiko after the story ends?
Folktales
7th Grade Summer Reading Project
1. Research
o Research folktales online from a variety of cultures. Suggestions for cultures to research are:
1. African
2. Native American
3. British and Celtic (Irish)
4. Mesopotamian
5. Hebrew
6. Babylonian
7. Chinese
8. Japanese
9. South American
10. Italian
11. Spanish
12. French
13. Indian
14. German
You are not limited to these cultures, however, and may use one of your own choosing.
2. Suggested web sites for research are listed in www.portaportal.com
Go to this site and where it says “guest” type in IS27. Scroll down to 7th Grade Folktales.
3. Read several folktales from the culture you have selected and log the information on the research graphic organizer. You may research as many folktales as you like, but you must research at least three.
4. Write a Folktale
o After researching several folktales, you will write and illustrate your own folktale. You may write a folktale that teaches a lesson or simply entertains. You will create a booklet with your folktale with a minimum of 6 pages, with illustrations.
Culture / Folktale / Main Characters / Imaginary Elements / Folktale Summary